Sources: Tom Davis Rethinking US Senate Decision

S.C. Sen. Tom Davis (R-Beaufort) – the leading fiscal conservative in Palmetto State government and a hero to South Carolina libertarians – is reportedly rethinking his decision not to run against U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham in 2014.

Davis has been inundated with requests that he challenge Graham after the left-leaning”Republican” attacked U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) earlier this week. Paul’s “crime?” Daring to stand up for the most elemental of American liberties – the right not to get killed by one’s government without the benefit of due process.

Anyway, while Paul was filibustering U.S. President Barack Obama’s nominee to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) over this vital point, Graham was one of several fiscally liberal Senators dining privately with Obama at a swanky Washington, D.C. hotel. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Graham took to the floor of the U.S. Senate the following day to deride Paul’s filibuster – calling it “ridiculous.”

Along with U.S. Sen. John McCain, Graham is one of the Senate’s most prominent “neo-cons” – a.k.a. fiscal liberals and foreign policy interventionists who support pouring trillions of dollars in new spending into our nation’s already bloated Pentagon budget and wasteful foreign aid.

Davis, who endorsed Ron Paul’s 2012 presidential bid, has long been viewed as the top candidate to unseat Graham in a 2014 GOP primary. However last month Davis informed reporter Gina Smith of The (Hilton Head, S.C.) Island Packet of his intention not to seek higher office in 2014.

Davis’ announcement exposed the dearth of credible candidates in this race … as evidenced by the ascendancy of Lee Bright, a social conservative from the South Carolina Upstate who few believe would mount a credible challenge against Graham. Frankly it doesn’t surprise us at all that Davis’ phone is lighting up in the wake of Graham’s latest antics – and we hope he heeds those calls.

FITS called Davis this weekend seeking a comment, but did not immediately hear back from him. We’ll let you know if he responds …

UPDATE: We just received the following text from Davis: “No politics this weekend. My daughter Libby is home for spring break from Virginia Tech. Talk to you next week when I’m back in Columbia.”